The present invention relates to a structure and a method for fixing a cross member such as a steering member between two side members.
One conventional structure is shown in FIGS. 17.about.19. (A similar structure is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Provisional Publication (Shou) 62-127859.)
The vehicle body shown in FIG. 17 includes a dash lower panel 1, a dash upper panel 2, left and right front pillars 3, a floor panel 4, a floor tunnel 5, etc. Between the left and right front pillars 3, a steering member 8 extends in a lateral (or widthwise) direction X of the vehicle. The steering member 8 is fixed to the left and right front pillars 3, and further fixed, through two stays 9, to the floor tunnel 5. An instrument panel 10 has a plurality of fastening portions 11 each having a fastener hole. A plurality of mounting brackets 12 are fixed to the dash upper panel 2 and the stays 9. The instrument panel 10 is fastened, by a plurality of screw fasteners 13, to the mounting brackets 12.
The steering member 8 is fixed at both ends 8a and 8b to the front pillars 3 in the following manner. The stays 9 are preliminarily fixed to the steering member 8. The subassembly of the steering member 8 and the stays 9 is moved in a direction shown by an arrow A in FIG. 17 along a longitudinal direction Y of the vehicle, and set in a predetermined position between the left and right front pillars 3. Then, the right end 8a of the steering member 8 is fastened to the right front pillar 3 by a bolt inserted through a bolt hole formed in the right front pillar 3.
The steering member 8 has an end bracket 15 closing an open left end of the steering member 8 which is hollow. An adjusting means 18 for adjusting the length of the steering member 8 is attached to the end bracket 15. The adjusting means 18 consists of an adjust nut 16 and an adjust bolt 17. This adjusting means 18 makes adjustable the length between the right end 8a of the steering member 8 and the left end of the adjust bolt 17. The steering member 8 with the adjusting means 18 can be precisely fitted between the left and right front pillars even if there is an error in the distance between the left and right pillars 3. In the assembly process of automotive vehicles, in general, the spacing between the left and right front pillars 3 is not completely uniform from product to product. The adjusting means 18 is required to compensate for variations in the distance between the left and right pillars 3.
The adjust nut 16 of the adjusting means 18 is fixed to the end bracket 15 of the steering member 8, and formed with an internally threaded portion 16.alpha. opening to the left. The adjust bolt 17 has an externally threaded portion 17.beta. which is screwed into the internally threaded portion 16.alpha. of the adjust nut 16. The adjust bolt 17 further has a pair of lever arms 19 projecting outwards. The adjust bolt 17 is further formed with an internally threaded portion 17.alpha. defining a threaded through hole pasting through the adjust bolt 17. A fastening bolt 20 has a threaded portion 20.beta. which is screwed into the internally threaded portion 17.alpha. of the adjust bolt 17 in the state shown in FIG. 19.
The adjust bolt 17 is first screwed deeply into the adjust nut 16, as shown in FIG. 18. In this state in which the total length of the steering member 8 and the adjusting means 18 is made smaller, it is easier to insert and set the steering member 8 with the adjusting means 18 between the left and right front pillars 3. Then, the right end 8a of the steering member 8 is fastened to the right front pillar 3. In this state, a gap is left between the adjust bolt 17 and the inside surface 3a of the left front pillar 3, as shown in FIG. 18. Therefore, a tool 21 is inserted in the direction shown by an arrow A in FIG. 18 along the longitudinal direction Y of the vehicle between the steering member 8 and the left front pillar 3, to catch one of the lever arms 19 of the adjust bolt 17 and rotate the adjust bolt 17 in an unscrewing direction. This rotation causes the adjust bolt 17 to move to the left, and the rotation is continued until the adjust bolt 17 abuts against the inside surface 3a of the left front pillar 3. Thereafter, the bolt 20 is inserted, along the lateral direction X of the vehicle, through a bolt hole 14 formed in the left front pillar 3, and tightened into the internally threaded portion 17.alpha. of the adjust bolt 17, as shown in FIG. 19. In this state, the steering member 8 is accurately fit between the left and right front pillars 3 with no gap left, and both ends are firmly fastened.
In this conventional structure, however, the adjusting operation of rotating the adjust bolt 17 must be performed along the longitudinal direction Y from the rear side whereas the fastening operation of inserting and screwing the bolt 20 must be done along the lateral direction X. The operator must change the position and attitude. Furthermore, the adjusting operation must be done in the limited narrow space between the front pillar 3 and the bracket 15.